Location Data

HDF started a project of Digital Study Hall (DiSH) Project with the support of Ilm Ideas Education Fund of DFID and with the funds from UKaid in July 2012 in 30 selected schools of Mardan district. The purpose of the intervention was to achieve enhanced learning outcomes and improved pedagogy through showing video lessons to students of the selected schools. Three types of Schools i.e. Private, Govt. and HDF were included and the video lessons were designed for three subjects of two grades i.e. Math and English for grade I and Math and General Science for grade III and science. It explored the possibility of resolving the problem of quality teachers by the use of technology. It aimed at improving education for disadvantaged children in rural and urban schools in Pakistan. Engaging video lessons were shown to students in targeted schools as a complementary teaching tool with the purpose of achieving enhanced learning outcomes and improved pedagogy. The students of a given class watched these video lessons with a teacher in the room, who acted as a mediator between the lesson on TV and the students, and led discussions and activities. The teacher also received additional training to help him/her improve delivery and incorporating technology into his daily lesson plan.

Upon successful completion of first phase of the project, the same project was scaled up in district Rahim Yar Khan where 65 schools were selected for implementation of the intervention where approximately 4000 students were direct beneficiaries of the project and 260 teachers were trained in delivering education through video lessons.

Highlighting Innovation:

DiSH allows the creation a digital database of curriculum currently implemented by the government for use by masses of students who do not have access to quality schools.

Beneficiaries

HDF's Social Mobilization wing conducted out extensive preliminary base-line surveys, followed by mid-term and end-line surveys to track the beneficiaries of this innovative learning product. The surveys led to defining the beneficiaries and extensive training and advocacy tactics ensured making an impact on the audience. Also, the program has been implemented in the HDF schools where school fees are very nominal and other schools where it has been implemented are govt. owned where fees are extremely nominal as well.

Scale

The teachers already employed in the selected schools -of HDF, Government and private -where the program was implemented were trained for the respective teaching methodology.

Schools/centers:

95

Description (schools/centers):

A number of Government, Private and HDF schools were selected for the implementation of the project where number of schools selected in Mardan were 30 in total and number of schools selected in Rahim Yar Khan were 65.

Number of Products Distributed:

95

Description (products):

An LED and related learning material per selected school were distributed under the project.

Date scale data collected:

March, 2014

Expansion

Program growth to date:

HDF initially launched its Dish program in Mardan region in 2012 in the province of KPK as a pilot. The results turned out to be exceptional with 100% attendance rate and enrollment rate. As a result of this, the same was replicated in the Rahim Yar Khan region in southern Punjab after almost a year of pilot in 2013.

Plans for future growth:

We are currently focusing on sustainability of the project running in Rahim Yar Khan and Mardan. The plans for scaling up and repliation will follow after.

Monitoring & Evaluation

M&E strategy in place?:

Yes

M&E strategy:

The project team leader is responsible to share all implementation plans, progress and reporting formats with the donor. When the project in implemented, each of the education coordinators dorectly monitor the schools where the project has been implemented. they visit each school twice a month and the team leader is boud to visit atleast once a month for monitoring. The reports are compiled and sent to the donor as well as the HDF senior staff on monthly basis.

After the project start-up a 5 days training is conducted while the school equipment is set-up. A base-line survey is conducted to asses the current situation of the community. After the initial survey, classes are incorporated. midterm assessment is conducted during the academic year to measure progress. A 2 day refresher training courses are provided to build capacity of the staff and an end-line survey is conducted at the end of the academic year.

Financials

Supplementary documents

Video:

Contact information

Name:

Azhar Saleem

Title:

Chief Executive Officer

Profile creation details

Phone interview completed?:

Yes

Last updated:

Tuesday, October 17, 2017 - 2:51pm

Key Challenges:

One of the key challenges faced by HDF team was to track and reach out to out-of-school children which was taken care of by the social mobilization team through intensive surveying techniques and tools.

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Related Research & Evidence

This paper shares the findings of a meta-analysis of 76 randomized experiments administered in developing countries over the last 40 years. In total, this included the effects of 110 different school interventions - including instructional materials, computers or technology, financial incentives, teacher training, and school meals - on language and mathematics scores in primary school students.